1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transport vehicles, more particularly but not necessarily exclusively to tractor trailer vehicles, and more particularly to flooring used in transport vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
A tractor trailer vehicle has a tractor which pulls what is widely referred to as a semi-trailer and generally includes covered vans and open flat-deck semi-trailers. These semi-trailers commonly have a payload-receiving deck, which is constructed with flooring which is formed from a hardwood laminate. A typical semi-trailer has a deck with a surface area of about 480 square feet and usually the flooring weighs about 5.5 pounds per square foot. This means that nearly 2200 pounds of the semi-trailer's `deadweight` is the flooring. It follows that the greater the deadweight of the flooring, the higher the operating cost of the vehicle. Most highways have strict weight restrictions per axle and the higher the deadweight, the lower the payload that can be hauled in the semi-trailer.
Conventional laminate flooring is usually made from oak or other hardwoods with a density similar to oak. The laminate flooring is expected to last only about 7 to 10 years, because of the effects of wear and tear on the flooring, and exposure to the extreme temperature swings and precipitation of the changing seasons. Water penetrates the flooring causing both an increase in the deadweight, an inevitable accelerated degradation of the flooring due to rot, and a loss in strength due to the damaging effect of water along the bonding lines of the laminate, causing a resulting loss of adhesion. In fact, the presence of water in the laminate can be expected to reduce the strength of the laminate by as much as 75% of its original strength.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved flooring for use in the decks of semi-trailers or other transport vehicles.